Lady Wolverines headed to State in basketball

 

[December 12, 2024]  The West Lincoln Broadwell Lady Wolverines defeated the Liberty Eagles 19-17 on their home court on Wednesday night to win the Class 1A Sectional Championship and advance to State.

Sage Gilbert led the charge as the Lady Wolverines came back from a seven-point deficit late in the game to defeat the Eagles 19-17.

To say the scoring was off to a slow start when the game began was not an exaggeration. Paisley Holmes made the first basket for WLB with just under thirty seconds left in the first quarter and ten seconds later the Eagles tied the game 2-2. 

In the second quarter the Eagles went ahead 5-2 on a three-point bucket. A basket by Grace Bivin trimmed the lead to 5-4. Another three by the Eagles allowed them an 8-4 lead. Again it was Bivin with the bucket to cut the lead to 8-6. Taking turns scoring, it was the Eagles with another bucket. Sage Gilbert got in the scoring column next and after the Eagles sank a free throw, the halftime score was set at 11-8.

The first four minutes of the third quarter was anything but pleasant for WLB. Bivin scored WLB’s only basket during this stretch while the Eagles poured in the points to capture a 17-10 lead. Before the quarter ended, Sage Gilbert had scored on a free throw and a layup and the lead was trimmed to 17-13.

Ella Roemer scored the first basket of the fourth quarter  and WLB was coming to life. Gilbert tied the game on a layup after a steal by WLB and fans went crazy at the 17-17 score. Near the 3:30 mark Gilbert scored the go-ahead basket that would eventually be enough to send these 8th graders to State. The Lady Wolverines had possession of the ball for much of the remainder of the game, and they wisely stalled and took the fouls. 

However, with 21.7 seconds left Gilbert was called for the travel and the Liberty Eagles had one final opportunity to win. Time was ticking down quickly and the Eagles tossed up a shot that was way off and the Lady Wolverines got to celebrate a miraculous comeback win.

The 19-17 victory keeps the perfect season alive!

WLB (28-0) will play Champaign St. Matthew (19-5) at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday in the IESA 8th Grade Class 1A State Tournament at Clinton Junior High School.

Congratulations, Lady Wolverines and congratulations to Paisley Holmes who received the Sportsmanship Award!

WLB 19

Sage Gilbert 9

Grace Bivin 6

Holmes 2

Roemer 2

Liberty 17

John 10

Cramsey 5

Logsdon 2

[Teena Lowery]